Jimmy entered the restaurant and shot a glance at the manager.
The manager was visibly sweating now, his smile strained and uncomfortable. But he didn’t say a word.
Jimmy waited. Just a beat. Giving him the chance to explain. To offer up the na of whoever had given the order to turn the Miller family away.
But the manager stayed silent.
That told Jimmy everything he needed to know.
Whoever was behind this had enough pull, enough power, to make the manager too terrified to talk.
Jimmy didn’t push it. Just turned and walked further into the restaurant, his expression unreadable.
---
After switching to another restaurant, Elodie had just started her al when her phone buzzed twice on the table.
It was a ssage from Cara.
Elodie picked it up casually and opened it.
Two photos. The people in them were Dante and Sienna.
Elodie’s lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t zoom in. Didn’t study the details. Just closed the ssage imdiately.
But the second she exited, her phone rang.
It was Cara calling.
Elodie hesitated, then stood up from the table and stepped outside to answer.
"Cara."
"Elodie, did you look at the photos I sent you?" Cara’s voice was urgent. Almost frantic.
Elodie had only glanced at the first one. She had no intention of opening the second.
"I saw it," she said quietly.
"The first one was sent to by a friend last night," Cara said, the words were spilling out fast. "They saw them at a hotel. I swear, on New Year’s Eve, can you believe they went and booked a hotel room? How shaless can they be?!"
Elodie’s expression didn’t change. Her face stayed perfectly still.
She just gave a faint "Mm."
"The second one is even worse," Cara continued, her voice rising with indignation. "It’s a screenshot. Sienna posted photos of the roses and New Year’s gifts Dante gave her. And it was taken in the hote. She was practically showing off how happy they were. It made sick!"
Elodie said nothing for a mont.
Then, quietly, "Mm."
There was a pause.
Then Elodie asked, her tone was still calm and even, "Did you eat yet?"
Cara blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden change in topic.
"Not yet. I went out with so friends for New Year’s Eve, drank way too much, and just woke up. I forgot to send you New Year’s wishes."
"It’s okay," Elodie said. "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year to you too, Elodie."
Cara started to bring up Dante and Sienna again, but sothing stopped her. Maybe it was the tone in Elodie’s voice that was way too too calm, too controlled.
She hesitated. "Elodie... what are you doing right now?"
"I’m eating out with my grandmother and the others."
"Oh..." Cara winced, suddenly feeling guilty. "Sorry. I didn’t an to ruin your mood. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have brought it up."
Elodie closed her eyes briefly, standing alone outside the restaurant with the cool air brushing against her face.
"It’s fine," she said softly. "You didn’t ruin anything."
But that wasn’t true.
Because even though her voice was calm and steady without shaking and her face hadn’t changed, sothing inside her had twisted painfully the mont she saw those photos.
She just wasn’t going to let Cara or anyone else, see it.
————————
Elodie’s POV~
"It’s fine," I said softly. "Go wash up and eat sothing. Otherwise, your stomach will hurt."
"I know, I know."
We talked for a little longer before hanging up.
---
After dinner, since it was still early, I took Grandma out for a walk and so light shopping.
This ti, we didn’t run into anyone that would bring awkward encounters. It was just us.
By the ti we got ho, my mood had lifted a little.
The Miller family didn’t have many relatives in the capital, so New Year’s was never particularly busy for us. It was quiet. Peaceful, even.
By the second evening of the New Year, I had free ti again.
I opened my laptop and went back to studying the materials Professor Nolan had given . The work was challenging, but in a good way. It kept my mind occupied. Kept from thinking too much.
Around 10 p.m., I was just about to close my laptop and take a shower when my phone rang.
I glanced at the screen. It was Dante.
I stared at it for a second, then set the phone down without answering.
I wasn’t in the mood.
I grabbed a towel and headed into the bathroom.
---
After my shower, I sat back down at my desk to review so materials. I was just finishing up my notes when I heard it.
The sound of a car pulling up outside.
I froze, my hand stilling on the mouse.
Then I rembered. The call from Dante.
My stomach twisted.
I stood up, walked over to the window, and looked down.
Sure enough, I saw Liora jump out of the car, her little voice ringing out clearly in the quiet night.
"Great-grandma!"
I pressed my lips together and turned away from the window.
I grabbed my phone and checked.
Dante had sent a ssage after I didn’t pick up. [I have to go abroad for work tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a few days. Please take care of Liora.]
I stared at the ssage for a long mont.
Then I set the phone down without replying.
---
A minute later, I heard the sound of footsteps pounding up the stairs.
My door burst open.
Liora ca running in, her face lit up with excitent.
"Mom!"
She threw herself at before I could even react.
I had no choice but to stretch out my arms and catch her, steadying her so she wouldn’t fall.
But the mont she pressed against , I slled Sienna’s perfu.
The sa scent I’d slled on her before.
My chest tightened, but I didn’t say anything. I just gently set Liora down and took a step back.
She was already running toward the bed, ready to jump on it, when I stopped her.
"Have you showered?"
Liora turned around, blinking. "I showered already."
But if she’d showered, why did she still sll like her?
That ant Sienna had been with her after the shower. Or that Dante and Sienna had brought her here together just now.
They just hadn’t co inside.
I kept my expression neutral. My voice calm.
"You’re dirty. Go change into fresh clothes."
Liora glanced down at herself, then nodded obediently. "Okay."
She ran off to the small dresser where I kept so of her things and started pulling out a clean set of pajamas.
I watched her for a mont, then turned away and walked back to my desk.
My hands were shaking.
I pressed them flat against the surface of the desk, willing them to stop, and I forced myself to continue organizing my materials.
After Liora had changed and co out of the bathroom, she pulled sothing out of her little bag, her face glowing with excitent.
"Mom, look! A little lantern!"
I glanced over at it and froze.
"This is—"
"Dad bought it for !" she interrupted, practically bouncing. "Isn’t it cute and beautiful?!"
I swallowed the tightness in my throat. "Mm."
Then she ran over to the light switch, flicked it off, and opened the lantern so it glowed softly in the dark.
"Isn’t it more beautiful when the lights are off?!" she asked, her voice filled with pure joy.
I looked at the warm orange glow lighting up her face. "Mm. It is more beautiful."
I paused, then asked quietly, "Do you like it a lot?"
"Yeah, I love it!" She reached into her bag again and pulled out another one. "Dad bought two for . Here, you can have the other one. Mom, do you want to take a walk with downstairs holding the lantern?"
My chest ached.
"I already took a shower," I said gently. "Maybe tomorrow."
I added, hoping it would soften the blow, "And you just changed clothes. It’s better not to get them dirty."
The excitent on her face dimd.
Her smile faltered. "Oh..."
She hadn’t seen for a whole month.
And here I was, turning her down.
I saw the disappointnt settling into her little shoulders. But she didn’t push. She just put the lantern down quietly and ran over to instead, wrapping her small arms around my waist.
"Mom..."
I set down the materials I’d been holding. "Mm. What’s wrong?"
She didn’t answer right away. Just kicked off her shoes, climbed into my lap, and buried her face against my shoulder.
"I missed you so much."
Then she pulled back and kissed my cheek twice, giggling softly. "Mom, you sll so nice."
My arms tightened around her for just a second.
I gently stroked her face, but I didn’t say anything.
Because I didn’t trust my voice right now.
I looked down at her. She’d changed. Grown a little. Her face had matured slightly, and now she looked even more like Dante.
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